Hey guys, I heard Lisa wasn't at the Founder's Day celebration this afternoon. Well, she's no longer with me either. I guess that puts her somewhere in the Lone Star state right about now. "She's out there visiting a friend."
The implications of this absence are pretty interesting.
Shelby never misses a chance to take advantage of a public event. This Founder's day thing and the "ring" ceremony has been one of his big deals . . . for both he and Mader to be absent . . . .
The near silence from the President since the Board meeting has been marked. He was not even all that visible during the Eustacy event ---
I have heard that the College Board has contacted Tim Hudson and told him to be ready to take over. Not revealing my sources, but I hope to the heavens that this rumor comes true!
quote: Originally posted by: Disgusted "Does anyone know whether Thames Texas vacation had been planned for a while? or was it a more recent decision?"
Think about it...Thames sticks his neck out of its turtle shell, fires 2 tenured professors, makes all sorts of crazy accusations against other faculty members, gives USM and MS all kinds of bad press, and now has fallen silent. Don't you think the College Board has told him to cool it? The only people speaking from the administration in the last week were Angie D. and Hanbury in that CL article. I think the Dome Gnome was sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to TX courtesy of the College Board.
quote: Originally posted by: Disgusted "Does anyone know whether Thames Texas vacation had been planned for a while? or was it a more recent decision?"
Exactly! So why open yourself up, why do you feel the need to defend something? If your right, she will be vindicated, however if your wrong, you just waisted valuable time. Do you work for the university?
quote: Originally posted by: Mike Mader " From day one of his administration, there has been a core group of "professors" who have been out to undermine Dr. Thames administration. Most of these professors are liberal english, history, sociology professors who COULD NEVER hold down a real job in the real world, much less have the courage to make a tough decision. For goodness sake - if I made false accusations about a member of my company's administration, I would be also be fired. Heaven forbid these clowns and others like them be held accountable for their actions....much less their results in the classroom."
Thanks for at least making the effort to offer at least one somewhat serious argument in favor of your position. By doing so, you distinguish yourself from most of the supporters of President Thames on this board.
Now, in response to your comment: if the only people disgruntled with President Thames were a few professors from liberal arts, why did President Thames overwhelmingly lose the vote of no confidence, and why has the faculty senate almost unanimously condemned his actions? The fact is that even professors who may have no great interest in or sympathy for the liberal arts now realize that President Thames is a threat to the academic integrity of the university and to their own academic freedom. I assure you that this is not a matter of "liberals" vs. "conservatives"; many conservatives are deeply troubled by what President Thames has done. Any person interested in free thought should be troubled.
As for why people choose anonymity, there are a couple of reasons. First, as we have seen on this board, many supporters of President Thames are frankly irrational; they are unable of carrying on a serious discussion but resort instead to profane insults and threats. Second, as the case of the two fired professors demonstrates very well, there is a price to be paid at USM right now for speaking openly. In fact I enormously admire the students who have spoken out openly in letters to the editor and in other ways; they have demonstrated great courage.
Hey Mike, it you made serious allegations against your bosses that were true, they would also do everything in their power to fire you. There are many cases in the private sector where whistle blowers were devastated by those they spoke out about.
Don't assume the allegations are false. Well, I guess you have to cause that's what Lisa is paid to do.
quote: Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer " Thanks for at least making the effort to offer at least one somewhat serious argument in favor of your position. "
USM Sympathizer, I think you give MM waaaay too much credit for his post (though I do acknowledge your use of the modifier "somewhat"). He maligns a whole college at USM with "conspiracy theories" about those "liberal" professors out to "get Shelby." MM, bring us some facts and then we'll be glad to discuss them with you.
And, MM, if you think your almost ex-wife got her USM job solely based on her stellar credentials and hard work, then I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you. Do the words "no national search" mean anything to you?
You are the total package of the characteristics that USM should have had the good sense to hang on to. I'm an admirer of your forthright attitude. Vandy has gained a great doc student.
quote: Originally posted by: educator "Andrea, You are the total package of the characteristics that USM should have had the good sense to hang on to. I'm an admirer of your forthright attitude. Vandy has gained a great doc student. MEW"
I agree wholeheartedly. And, educator, you ain't too shabby yourself!
Originally posted by: truth4usm " USM Sympathizer, I think you give MM waaaay too much credit for his post (though I do acknowledge your use of the modifier "somewhat"). "
Thanks, truth4usm; I was trying to be generous and encourage the supporters of President Thames to offer some rational argument. I guess what has surprised me most about their posts on this board is how unwilling they seem to be to engage in intelligent debate. Maybe they are just incapable, in which case the situation USM is in is even sadder than I thought. If these folks (I am thinking particularly of Eatme and his ilk) are examples of the kind of supporters President Thames has, I feel even sorrier for your alma mater than I already did. Actually, though, people like Eatme are helping to sabotage President Thames in the eyes of the many people, like me, who are outside the state but who are following this controversy very closely.
quote: Originally posted by: Vandy Grad-DR "quotation from banned member Sage removed by moderator"
My boss has already sent me an email of congratulations for taking a stand for academic freedom. Maybe it is time for you to de-cloak yourself and learn how to construct a gramatically-correct sentence!
quote: Originally posted by: truth4usm (Andrea Hewitt) "My boss has already sent me an email of congratulations for taking a stand for academic freedom. Maybe it is time for you to de-cloak yourself and learn how to construct a gramatically-correct sentence!"
Andrea,
I missed that message. I went back and checked the IP...guess who it is. Our friend Sage.
I deleted her message and I edited her message out of your reply.
Shelby's little demons are resourceful, aren't they?
quote: Originally posted by: fire shelby " Andrea, I missed that message. I went back and checked the IP...guess who it is. Our friend Sage. I deleted her message and I edited her message out of your reply. Shelby's little demons are resourceful, aren't they? FS"
Thanks, FS. I had a feeling it was something like that. Everyone I've talked to at Vandy is EXTREMELY supportive of the work that is going on at USM to make shared governance a reality. People like Sage need to get a life (and another message board)!